India Blasts China For Wading Into US-Pannun Case

NEW DELHI (ANI) – Hitting back at China over its comments on the investigation into the foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India and the United States can deal with any issues between the two countries.

MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, added that there is no role for any “speculative comments and gratuitous advice” by “unrelated third parties.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a press conference, said that the relevant countries must observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations.

“China noted the reports. We hope relevant countries will earnestly observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” Jian said.

Addressing the weekly press briefing on Thursday, the MEA spokesperson said, “India and the United States, as two countries adhering to the rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues that we have between ourselves. There is no role for any speculative comments and gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties.”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship.

The US Justice Department indictment says an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun.

It has said that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited the Indian national to hire a hitman to assassinate Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities.

Last year, India formed a committee to inquire into the allegations of the foiled assassination plot.